Tuesday, April 24, 2012

From Bolt to Vase

One of my most abiding pleasures in life is finding beauty in unexpected places. Whether that's in the gentle sway of laundry drying on the line, the cascade of leaves from a ginkgo tree, or the camouflage print on a toad's back (Huxley and I found an incredible specimen hiding out in the mint patch by the front door!), discovering the innate exquisiteness in nature is so very fulfilling.

Which is why I was so happy to realize just how gorgeous collard bolts are in a vase. Who knew, right?

Hubs is the party truly responsible for this revelation. I'd been trying as much as possible to pull off the flowers from the collards in the garden (planted last September and still going strong owing to our incredibly mild winter!) all spring, so as to prolong their life span. Then I got busy with writing-projects and baby-watching and, well, life, then it rained, and the flowers went bananas.

We began noticing just how much the pollinators of every persuasion out here in the cove seemed to love the flowers, so we opted to let them be, for now, at least. Hubs got curious about what one could do with the flowers (aside from sharing them with those buzzing beauties), and brought a handful inside. I put the blooms in water until we decided what we might do with them and realized, suddenly, that they were perfect just like that.

For Jen's potluck dinner, we placed a vase of the blooms on the feasting table. They served as a perfect compliment, and nod to, the southern bounty of foods it adorned. I'd have never have imagined I'd be tricking out my dining room table with collard blooms. And now, well now I can't imagine not doing it!

For those who've mentioned it, you can see many more images of our old window cold frame, and read about how we made it, here.

Good idea. Our Kale is doing the same thing. They are good to eat in a little olive oil and garlic saute. Who knew? I tried to cut them back and keep them going but they really want to reproduce don't they?

About Me

Making an attempt to craft a good life with my husband and young son in a small mountain community. I find pleasure in the light at dusk, atlases, hard cider, cat antics, dog breath, baby giggles, homemade ice cream and snorty laughter.
Author of the "Homemade Living" book series (Lark Books) which showcases topics related to small-scale homesteading and some of the diverse ways people are reconnecting with their food and food communities and taking up sustainable food practices.
I also host a bi-monthly column every Friday on Design*Sponge:http://www.designspongeonline.com/category/small-measures.
E-mail me directly at: ashleyadamsenglish(at)gmail.com.

The Best LIttle Chicken Coop in Candler

"The Big Problem is nothing more or less than the sum total of countless little everyday choices, most of them made by us and most of the rest of them made in the name of our needs and desires and preferences."-Michael Pollan